Broken Dream: Saturday Kitchen

Picking up accolades along the way, the most notable being the 2018 Supreme Champion Beer of Britain, it’s a beer we have loved experimenting with over a number of variants (more on them later). So, when the good people from Saturday Kitchen on the BBC got in touch to ask if they could use Broken Dream in a cocktail, we of course said yes.

Introducing the “Shake ‘n’ Stout”.

Broken Dream has always been a good beer to pair with food (especially cheese, but especially blue cheese), and use as a compliment to other things. Our flagship bar in central Reading has a Broken Dream inspired espresso cocktail available ever since we opened, and it’s always popular. The Shake ‘n’ Stout, created by cocktail queen, Carmen O’Neal, takes the idea of using Broken Dream in a cocktail to a whole new level.

Here’s the recipe, which serves 2:

INGREDIENTS:

- 250ml Broken Dream
- 120ml Whole Milk
- 60ml Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Pinch of Nutmeg
- 1 Pinch of Cinnamon
- 1 Heaped teaspoon of Smooth Peanut Butter
- 5 Ice Cubes

FOR GARNISH:
Whipped Cream
Chocolate Wafer Straw

GLASS:
Hurricane

METHOD:
Add all of your ingredients to a blender (including the ice cubes) and blend until smooth. Fill your hurricane glass with ice and pour over the milkshake mixture. Top with a generous squirt of whipped cream and add a chocolate wafer straw. Enjoy!

If you make this cocktail, we’d love to see your efforts - make sure you post them to Twitter or Instagram and tag us using @SirenCraftBrew. 

If you want to see the cocktail on the TV, check out the Saturday Kitchen from August 31st either live (if you read this in time!) or on catchup.

How else have we twisted Broken Dream over the years?

Outside of Cocktails, Broken Dream has been a fun beer for us to play with different versions. The most famous of which is the celebratory imperial edition. Over the years, we’ve made stronger versions of a number of our flagship beers to celebrate milestone brews. You may remember the likes of Tidal Wave, Vu Du Yu Lu or Liquid Monstrous. Of course here, we’re talking about Shattered Dream.

Whilst the other big brews were generally one-offs, Shattered Dream quickly became a favourite, and has made a number of appearances over time. This includes Barrel Aged versions, a Nitro version and even a combination of both - a nitro barrel aged version! If you want to see more Shattered Dream, make sure you let us know via social media. Not only a stronger version, Shattered Dream comes with an additional helping of chocolate, coffee and vanilla, making it an absolute taste sensation.

If you’re at Siren RG1 in central reading, look out for our Shattered Dream mirror - it’s quite something!



There have of course also been smaller versions of Broken Dream, namely - Recurring Dream, a cask special coming in at just 4.6%. This has proved super popular in pubs, with all the enjoyment of its parent beer, at a fraction of the ABV.

Variants

As delicious as it is on its own, Broken Dream has always been a great vehicle for various adjuncts. Over time, there’s been a host of adjuncts added, largely for one-off festival specials, but back in 2020 we launched a few twisted varieties. Namely, Rum & Maple Wood, Cacao & Cherry, and Cacao & Hazelnut. Initially meant for single brews, the popularity of these beers took us by surprise, with Cacao & Hazelnut initially selling out in just a few days. Cacao & Cherry later took up a place on the shelves in Morrisons.

As for what’s next for our favourite Breakfast Stout, who knows? If there’s something you’d like to see us do with Broken Dream, make sure to let us know!